Destined

Liu Yu Ru and Gu Jiusi returned to the residence together. As they alighted from the carriage, they saw Zhou Ye leading the young Fan lad following suit. The young Fan seemed quite shaken, his face still etched with panic as he repeatedly cursed Yang Long Si to Zhou Ye. Zhou Ye frowned slightly, listening quietly without uttering a word. When he brought the youth before them, Zhou Ye said to Gu Jiusi and Liu Yu Ru, "This young master is the son of one of my uncles. He's only fourteen years old now. My uncle wanted him to gain some experience, so he asked me to bring him along. Xiao Yu," Zhou Ye said calmly, "greet Young Master Gu and Young Madam Gu."

Fan Yu perfunctorily cupped his hands toward Gu Jiusi and Liu Yu Ru without saying a word. His demeanor clearly showed he looked down upon Gu Jiusi and the others. Zhou Ye felt somewhat awkward and was about to explain when Gu Jiusi suddenly threw an arm around his shoulder and said directly, "Brother Zhou, come, let's go drink. Let this child go play by himself."

Hearing this, Zhou Ye knew it wouldn't end well. Sure enough, Fan Yu angrily retorted, "Who are you calling a child?!"

"Oh, aren't you a child?" Gu Jiusi turned back with a mocking laugh. "Then where are your manners? I saved you, and I'm your elder brother's friend. Is this how you behave?"

"You lowly merchant..."

"Fan Yu!" Zhou Ye snapped sharply. Fan Yu's face stiffened with displeasure. He turned away with a cold snort and said, "I'm not eating this meal. You can eat by yourself if you want. I'm going back."

With that, Fan Yu turned and returned to the carriage. Liu Yu Ru watched with a frown, feeling concerned.

Although Zhou Ye hadn't explicitly stated it, given that his uncle shared the surname Fan, it could only be Fan Xuan, the military governor of Youzhou. That meant this was the military governor's son. Since they planned to move to Youzhou, and Gu Jiusi had already offended the young master, what would they do in the future?

But she couldn't voice these worries now. Liu Yu Ru sighed and followed as Gu Jiusi dragged Zhou Ye toward the house.

They had sent a servant ahead to inform the family, so Jiang Rou and Gu Lang Hua had already prepared a banquet. After Zhou Ye took his seat, the family repeatedly expressed their gratitude. Zhou Ye was an honest man, not particularly eloquent, but filled with gratitude toward Gu Jiusi, he could only raise his wine cup and say awkwardly, "I won't say much. Thank you, Young Master Gu, for today. My feelings are in this wine!"

After downing the cup, Zhou Ye looked at the small vessel and frowned. Gu Jiusi quickly understood and immediately said, "Bring big bowls!"

Zhou Ye smiled and explained to Gu Lang Hua, "We Youzhou people drink from big bowls. Using such small cups for the first time, I feel it doesn't fully convey my sincerity."

Truthfully, the Gu family, including Liu Yu Ru, didn't quite understand the logic behind putting all one's feelings into wine. But the Gu family were merchants who had much contact with northerners like those from Youzhou. Gu Lang Hua quickly said, "No need to explain, Young Master Zhou. We understand completely. Today, eat and drink as you please. Just make yourself at home!"

Zhou Ye smiled in acknowledgment. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Jiang Rou and Gu Lang Hua excused themselves first, leaving Liu Yu Ru and Gu Jiusi to accompany Zhou Ye. They moved to the courtyard where Gu Jiusi and Zhou Ye chatted while Liu Yu Ru knelt nearby pouring wine.Gu Jiusi explained how he had schemed against Yang Longsi that day, and Zhou Ye sighed with admiration, praising, "Young Master Gu, despite your youth, possess such profound cunning—truly a dragon among men. If you were in Youzhou, I would surely recommend you. It's a pity you're in Yangzhou; my ability to assist is limited. But in the future, whatever the circumstances, if there's any way I can be of use, you need only ask."

"Brother Zhou, there's no need for such formality," Gu Jiusi waved his hand dismissively. His injuries had not yet healed, and he was strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol, so he could only sip his bland goji berry and chrysanthemum tea with resignation. "Last time, when you spoke up for justice, our entire Gu Family was deeply grateful. What I did today was merely my duty. If you insist on talking about gratitude, it only creates distance between us. Besides, when we're away from home, it's natural to rely on friends and brothers for support. Please don't overthink it."

"Young Master Gu speaks wisely," Zhou Ye looked at Gu Jiusi with some excitement. "Today, though I am untalented, I wish to befriend Young Master Gu. What do you think?"

Hearing this, Gu Jiusi laughed. "Brother Zhou, you jest. If we weren't friends, why would I have gone to the gambling den? We are already friends, so there's no need to say more. In the future, if there's anything Jiusi can do for you, just ask."

Zhou Ye felt reassured by Gu Jiusi's words. Watching Zhou Ye drink heartily, Gu Jiusi felt a slight itch and glanced at Liu Yuru, whispering, "Let me have a little drink, please?"

Zhou Ye laughed heartily and said to Liu Yuru, "Madam, let him have a drink. Back on the battlefield, we often drank to stay alert despite our injuries. It's no trouble!"

Liu Yuru sighed helplessly, shot a look at Gu Jiusi, and finally poured him a cup of wine. Gu Jiusi took the cup, took a small sip, and immediately put on an expression of infinite delight, making both Zhou Ye and Liu Yuru burst into laughter. After a moment's thought, Gu Jiusi said to Liu Yuru, "Come on, since I can't drink much, what's the fun in just drinking? How about I play a finger-guessing game with Brother Zhou, and you drink for me?"

"How would I know how?" Liu Yuru said helplessly. "Besides, isn't it embarrassing for you to play the game and have me drink for you?"

"Madam is right," Zhou Ye chuckled. "Since when do men make women drink for them in finger-guessing games?"

"It's different," Gu Jiusi retorted bluntly. "You don't understand—I live off my wife at home. In the future, my wife will be the one earning money to support me."

At this, Zhou Ye spat out his wine in surprise. Liu Yuru quickly interjected, "He's joking, it's all just a joke."

"Don't be hypocritical," Gu Jiusi hurriedly said. "Have some confidence in yourself! Brother Zhou, let me tell you, from now on when you see her, don't call her 'Madam.' Call her 'Boss Liu.' Say it once, and she'll be happy all day."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Liu Yuru blushed in embarrassment. These were things she had secretly boasted about to Gu Jiusi, never expecting him to bring them up in front of others. Gu Jiusi grinned mischievously. "So, Boss Liu, how about a drink?"

"Enough, I'll drink, just stop talking," Liu Yuru said, her face flushed, quickly giving in. Gu Jiusi then began teaching Zhou Ye the southern style of finger-guessing and started playing the game with him.For Zhou Ye, they prepared strong northern liquor, while for Liu Yuru, they served southern fruit wine. Everyone played drinking games, chatted, and drank merrily. Liu Yuru had never drunk alcohol before and found the taste sweet with a fruity aroma, so she drank rather recklessly. After just a few rounds of drinking games, Liu Yuru fell onto the table with a thud. Gu Jiusi instinctively exclaimed, "That's all the alcohol she can handle?!"

Yin Hong, standing nearby, sighed helplessly and explained, "The young mistress has never drunk alcohol before. You're really putting her in a difficult position."

"You're quite bold for a maid," Gu Jiusi said without any real threat in his voice, deliberately putting on a stern face. "How dare you speak to me like that!"

Yin Hong rolled her eyes, helped Liu Yuru up, and walked away.

Zhou Ye, suppressing a laugh, remarked, "That little maid of yours is quite something."

Gu Jiusi sighed. "Such misfortune in my household. My status is too low—it's truly disheartening."

As he watched Liu Yuru being led away, he cheerfully said, "Come on, now that she's drunk, we can drink to our hearts' content!"

Everyone: "..."

So that was what he had been waiting for.

Zhou Ye was both amused and exasperated. "Jiusi," he said, using a more intimate form of address, "if you applied this cleverness of yours to serious matters, you'd have already made a name for yourself in Yangzhou."

"What's the point of making a name for myself?" Gu Jiusi waved his hand dismissively. "Fame and reputation are just about earning more money and gaining more respect. But I was born the son of the wealthiest man in Yangzhou—is there anything I can't buy or achieve? Since there isn't, why should I strive for more?"

Zhou Ye fell into thought upon hearing Gu Jiusi's words. After a long pause, he slowly said, "Striving for a higher position isn't necessarily about power. The higher you climb, the more you can do for the common people."

He then gave a bitter smile. "But that's just my personal opinion. Youzhou isn't as prosperous as Hangzhou. We face external conflicts and internal poverty, and our resources are nowhere near as abundant as Yangzhou's. Inland areas don't even have easy access to water. Every time I come to Yangzhou, it feels like a paradise. Seeing the joy and laughter here, I can't help but wish the people of Youzhou could experience such prosperity."

"Actually, the main reasons for the material scarcity in the north are the barren land and underdeveloped trade," Gu Jiusi remarked calmly. "If the north had rivers crisscrossing it like the south, with low transportation costs and locally produced goods, then the north could trade its livestock for southern grain, and its mountain delicacies and furs for southern silks and satins. By leveraging its strengths, the north wouldn't be so impoverished. The same goes for Northern Liang. If they could learn to farm and establish stable production to exchange with Da Rong for food supplies, they wouldn't need to invade year after year. After all, most conflicts in this world are just about survival."

Zhou Ye nodded thoughtfully. "You're absolutely right."

He then smiled and said, "I didn't expect someone as young as you to have such insights."

"We're all human," Gu Jiusi chuckled. "To gamble well, you have to understand people. Besides, my family is in business—no matter how idle or frivolous I may seem, I've picked up a thing or two. In the end, it's just that I was born into the right family."

With that, he raised his glass cheerfully. "Come on, let's drink!"

Zhou Ye, now in high spirits, drank with him. Intrigued by Gu Jiusi's unique perspective, he began discussing matters of state with him.Zhou Ye spoke to Gu Jiusi about the affairs of the world and his ambitious aspirations.

He was heavily intoxicated, his words slurred, yet he still declared, "In the future, I will ensure that all common people have enough to eat and wear, that none shall freeze or starve to death. Everyone must live well, live with dignity, live properly."

Gu Jiusi listened quietly. Somehow, hearing Zhou Ye's words stirred a surge of passion within him.

He raised his cup and said cheerfully, "Well said! May Brother Zhou achieve his heart's desire in the days to come!"

Gu Jiusi's voice was too loud, rousing Liu Yu Ru from her drowsiness. As she gazed at the figures drinking in the distance, she caught that one sentence—

"In the future, I will ensure that all common people have enough to eat and wear, that none shall freeze or starve to death. Everyone must live well, live with dignity, live properly."

She couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile.

Yes, she too wished for a stable life, one lived with dignity, lived properly.

All her life she had sought and sought, but in the end, what she truly sought was nothing more than these two words: dignity.